Method and apparatus for forming products and control therefor



Sept. 16, 1969 J. T. UNDERWOOD ET AL 3,467,739

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PRODUCTS AND CONTROL THEREFOR Filed March 23, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l Joy/v 7. Uwmwooa, 50/270 M PAL Mm, 5HL 00M 14. UMP/10 &

Maw/2R0 E. P/TT INVENTORS Ar TOP/VEVS Sept. 16, 1969 T, UNDERWQOD ET AL 3,467,739

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PRODUCTS AND CONTROL THEREFOR Filed March 23, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOHN 7. Uuoawoom .Bu/erav M. PALMER, SHELDON 4. CANF/ELD &

Mew/m0 E. P/rr INVENTORS WAQM A 7 rap/v5 K5 Se t. 16, 1969 J. 'r. UNDERWOOD ETAL 3,467,739 I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PRODUCTS AND CONTROL THEREFOR Filed March 23, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 RELAY AND 225 TIMER svs-rew. L3

DETECTOR CONVEYOR SPEED CONTROL:

Jomv 7." (Mama/000, 50,? To M. PALMER, $l/El00/V A. CAA/F/ELD &

RICHARD E. PITT INVENTORS Se t. 16, 1969 J. 'r. UNDERWOOD ETAL 3,467,739

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PRODUCTS AND CONTROL THEREFOR Filed March 23, 1964 4 Sheets-Shee t 1 Big. 10

T] 2 228 2/7 O 19 x1 2 5 I A! L l C2 k3 Y 1 2 223 JOHN 7. UNOERWOOD,

BURTON M. PAL/145R,

, SHELDON 4. CAM/F/ELD &

Z26 Alc/m/w E. PITT INVENTORS ,4 T TO/PA/EVS United States Patent 3,4617% METHOD AND APPARATUS FUR FORMING PRQDUCTS AND CONTRGL THEREFOR John T. Underwood, Lambertville, Mich., and Burton M. Palmer, Toledo, and Sheldon A. Canfield and Richard E. Pitt, Newark, Ohio, assignors to Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 356,690 Int. Cl. B29f 3/00; Dlllf 1/00; (3031) 37/02 US. Cl. 26440 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOS The invention relates to a method of and apparatus for exercising control of a plurality of material processing units arranged to normally continuously and concomitantly deliver material onto a moving conveyor and wherein a detector senses impairment or failure of delivery of a normal complement of material from a unit, the detector being effective to modify the rate of movement of the conveyor to maintain substantially normal the size and character of the composite assemblage of the collected material and wherein the unit, which is impaired or fails to deliver its normal complement of material, is rendered ineffective and further delivery of material to the conveyor from such station interrupted until normal operation is restored.

This invention relates to method, apparatus and control for forming fabricated products produced through the utilization of successively arranged material processing stations and more especially to a method, apparatus and control or programming arrangement particularly usable in the formation of fibrous masses or products wherein successively arranged stations deliver fibrous or filamentary materials onto a moving collector to produce an assemblage or product.

In the manufacture of fibrous products such as fibrous mats, it is a practice to employ or utilize several fiber or filament forming and processing stations or units arranged to concomitantly and continuously deposit attenuated filaments or fibers on a moving conveyor belt or collector to form a built-up fibrous mass or mat as a composite of the filaments or fibers from the several stations or units. In such methods or processes it is essential, in order to produce a uniform product to maintain, insofar as possible, the continuous operation of the several fiber or filament forming and depositing units. In the formation of mats or packs of glass fibers or filaments from a plurality of attenuating units, diffic'ulties are encountered when one or more of the fiber or filament attenuating units fail to deliver normal complements of fibers or filaments because of breakouts or impairment of glass streams from a stream feeder. It is a practice to attenuate fibers or filaments from streams of glass and project strands or bodies of the fibers or filaments onto a conveyor or collector moving at a predetermined rate. By reason of high attenuating speeds and high temperatures involved in forming heat-softened glass into fibers or filaments, it is not unusual for strand breakouts to occur or several filaments may be broken, either condition necessarily reducing the proper quantity of fibers or filaments resulting in a substandard mat or product.

When such failure occurs at one or more of the fiber or filament forming and delivering stations, it has heretofore been necessary for the operator to be constantly alert to detect failure of delivery of fibers or filaments and interrupt the operation of a station and endeavor to restore normal operation. Restoration procedure entails restarting the interrupted attenuating unit and, for a period of time, the fibers or filaments delivered from the "ice restarted unit are of improper size and are disposed of as waste until optimum operations are again established. The mat formed during such period is substandard and is usually discarded as waste.

The invention embraces a method of control involving a plurality of stations each normally operative to continuously deliver a complement of material to a zone wherein impairment of failure of delivery of a full complement of material from a station is effective to render such station inoperative until normal operating conditions are restored.

The invention embraces a method of control involving a plurality of material processing units arranged to continuously and concomitantly deliver material onto a moving collector wherein impairment or failure of delivery of a normal complement of material from a unit is effective to modify the rate of movement of the collector whereby to maintain substantially normal the size and character of the composite assemblage of the collected material.

The invention has for an object the provision of a 7 method of controlling the speed of a moving collector arranged to receive material from a plurality of material delivering units whereby failure or impairment of delivery of the proper amount of material from a unit is automatically sensed by a detector effective to control the speed of the collector whereby the amount of material collected in a given length on the conveyor from the remaining operative units is substantially equal to the amount of material normally collected in the same length of collector when all of the units are in operation.

Another object of the invention resides in a material collecting system wherein a plurality of material handling units, each operated by an electrically energizable motor, continuously deliver materials onto a moving collector and wherein variation from normal load on a motor of a unit failing to deliver its complement of material is sensed by a detector responsive to change of phase characteristics of the motor for activating means effective to de-energize the motor.

Another object of the invention resides in a control for a movable conveyor driven by variable speed means and wherein a plurality of stations normally deliver materials onto the conveyor and concomitantly distribute the materials over an area of the conveyor, the control including sensing means rendered effective by failure or impairment of delivery of material from a station to modify the speed of the conveyor and concomitantly modify the rate of distribution of material at the operative stations to compensate for failure of delivery of material from such station.

Another object of the invention resides in a programming control for a plurality of material processing units, each driven by an electrically energizable motor and adapted to deliver material onto a moving collector wherein an electrically actuated sensor is influenced by change in load on the motor of a unit failing to deliver its normal complement of material for automatically modifying the speed of the moving collector whereby the amount of material collected on a given length of collector is substantially equal to the amount of material in the given length of the collector when all units are in normal operation, the control including means automatically operable through the load sensing means for deflecting the substandard material away from the collector.

Another object of the invention resides in a method of and apparatus for attenuating heat-softened glass to continuous filaments at a plurality of attenuating stations and delivering strands of the filaments onto a moving conveyor wherein the attenuating instrumentalities are driven by electrically energizable motors of a character such that the phase varies with the attenuating load on the motor in combination with a sensing means connected with each motor and responsive to change of phase in a motor upon reduction in attenuating load to automatically interrupt delivery of material from a station at which a load reduction occurs onto the collector, the sensing means initiating a reduction in the speed of the conveyor whereby the size and density of the mass of material collected from the remaining operative stations are substantially equal to the size and density of the mass normally collected on the conveyor from all of the stations when in operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a method of forming continuous filaments of heat-softened mineral material at a plurality of stations wherein the filaments are converged into strands and a rotatable surface engages a strand at each station and delivers same to a movable collector, the method including sensing devices for the stations responsive to a reduction in load on a surface for indicating such reduction in load and interrupting further delivery of material to the collector from the station at which the load reduction occurs until such station is restored to normal operation.

Further objects and advantages are Within the scope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawing of a form of the invention, which may be preferred, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic side elevational view illustrating an apparatus embodying the invention associated with a plurality of fiber or filament attenuating stations or units;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view illustrating a collecting apparatus for waste fibrous material disposed in an out-of-use position;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 illustrating the waste material collecting apparatus in an operative position;

FIGURE 5 is a front view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a filament or fiber severing instrumentality;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of the construction shown in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a schematic circuit diagram of the control means for the attenuating units, the conveyor speed control and waste material collecting apparatus;

FIGURE 9 is a schematic circuit of the load sensor or detector for an attenuating unit fgrming a component of the invention; and

FIGURE 10 is a schematic circuit and components for controlling distribution of the material on the conveyor.

While the invention is illustrated in association With apparatus for attenuating heat-softened material, such as glass, to filaments or fibers which are distributed onto a moving conveyor, it is to be understood that the invention may be utilized in the programming of other material processing or delivering stations where it is desired to maintain uniformity of product in event of failure or impairment of one or more material processing stations.

In the arrangement illustrated in the drawings, the attenuating apparatus is particularly usable for attenuating streams of heat-softened glass or other heat-softened material to continuous filaments converged into strands and the strands from the several units distributed onto a moving conveyor to form a collected mass or mat of the continuous filaments.

Referring to the drawings in detail and initially to FIG- URES 1 and 2, there is illustrated an apparatus for attenuating groups of streams of glass into continuous filaments which are converged into strands which are col lected to form a fibrous mass or mat. A plurality of stream feeders 10 are arranged in two spaced parallel rows, each adapted to contain a supply of heat-softened material such as heat-softened glass. The feeders 10 may be directly connected with a forehearth of a melting furnace to receive glass therefrom, or pieces or spherical bodies of glass may be delivered into the feeders and melted therein.

Each of the feeders 10 is provided at its ends with terminals 12 connected with an electric current of high amperage and low voltage for maintaining the softened glass at a proper viscosity for attenuation or for melting and conditioning material where the latter is introduced into the feeders in pieces or spherical bodies. Each of the stream feeders is provided with a plurality of orifices in the bottom or floor through which flow groups of streams adapted to be attenuated to continuous filaments 16 by rotating attenuating instrumentalities.

As illustrated, the group of filaments formed from the streams from each feeder is converged by a suitable gathering shoe 18 into a multi-filament strand 20, each group of filaments forming a strand.

It is desirable to apply a liquid, such as water, onto the filaments prior to their convergence into strand form for a purpose hereinafter explained. Disposed above each of the gathering shoes 18 is a receptacle 22 adapted to contain water or other liquid applied to a fan or group of filaments by a belt-like applicator 24 which, moving through the liquid in the receptacle, acquires a film thereof which is transferred to the filaments by a wiping contact.

A fiber or filament attenuating and distributing unit 26 is disposed beneath or adjacent each of the stream feeders 10 for attenuating the filaments of each group by mechanical means. Each attenuating unit is inclusive of a rotatable strand-engaging means or pull wheel 30 journally mounted upon a support 32 mounted on a frame construction 34. The pull wheel 30 is mounted on a shaft 36 on which is secured a sprocket 38 driven by a belt 40 from a second sprocket mounted on a shaft of an electrically energizable motor 42. Journally supported on means carried by the frame member 34 are idler rolls 44 and 46 shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 6 and 7. A pull wheel or attenuating unit and a pair of idler rolls are provided for each strand 20.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the strand 20 passes around the idler rolls 44 and 46 and around the attenuating or pull wheel 30 and is delivered or projected from the pull wheel for distribution on a relatively movable collector or conveyor belt 50. Each of the attenuating units 26 embodies means for disengaging the strand from the pull wheel 30 at varying peripheral regions of a pull wheel to effect transverse or lateral distribution of the strand over the width of the collector or conveyor 50.

Journally supported by means associated with the shaft 36 is a disc-like member 52 arranged to be oscillated, a member or arm 54 being fixedly secured to the disc. Journally supported upon a stub shaft 56 carried by the disc 52 is a spoke wheel 58, the spokes or fingers of the wheel projecting through slots in the peripheral surface of the pull wheel 30. The purpose of the projection of the spokes outwardly of the peripheral surface of the pull wheel is to release the strand from the periphery of the pull wheel so as to project the strand by its own inertia of motion onto the conveyor 50.

The disc 52, on which the spoke wheel is journally mounted, is adapted to be oscillated through an angle whereby the strand projected from the pull wheel will be traversed crosswise of the conveyor, the span of traverse defining the side edges of the mat or mass of collected strands.

Mounted upon the support member 34 is a bracket 60. A rod 62 has a transverse pin-like portion 64 pivoted to the bracket 60, the opposite end of the rod 62 being pivoted at 65 to a triangularly-shaped link or beam 66.

A pivot pin 68 on the link 66 connects the link with an adjacent member 54 and a connecting rod 70 connects the link 66 with the member 54 of the attenuating unit disposed opposite the attenuating unit adjacent the link 66. The link 66 is reciprocated by a rod 72 driven by motive means of the character shown in FIGURE 10.

The arms 54, the discs 52 and the spoke wheels 58 are oscillated about the axis of the shaft 36 to continuously shift the relative angular positions of each of the spoke wheels 58 whereby the strand is forcibly disengaged from the surface of the pull wheel by the projections on the spoke wheels 58 over an included angle to effect traverse deposition of the strands to a desired width on the conveyor 50. As the conveyor is advanced past the several fiber attenuating stations or units, the several strands are successivly overlapped in building up a mat of desired thickness.

The water or other liquid delivered onto the filaments by the applicators provides adequate wetting of the filaments without incurring an excess of liquid in the mat or mass 80 of accumulated strands.

It may be desirable to integrate the continuous strands in mat form through the application of suitable binder. As illustrated in FIGURE 1, a binder applicator 76 is disposed to deliver binder onto the strands on the conveyor. The applicator 76 is preferably in the form of a trough extending transversely across and above the mat and is arranged to deliver powdered binder 78 from a supply (not shown). Binder such as phenolformaldehyde in powdered form may be employed.

The water or liquid lubricant on the strands is effective to adhere the powdered binder to the strands whereby the binder is effectively distributed throughout the mat. The conveyor 50 is supported on rolls 51, one of which is illustrated in FIGURE 1. Disposed to receive the mat 80 is a second endless conveyor 82 mounted on rolls 83 arranged to be driven at the same linear speed as the conveyor 50 for advancing the mat through an oven or instrumentality 84. The binder 78 in the mat is cured or hardened in the oven 84 to establish mass integrity in the mat.

The conveyor 50 is advanced at a comparatively low rate of linear speed through a gear reducing mechanism contained within a housing 88 associated with an electrically energizable variable speed motor 90 shown in FIGURE 8, the drive being connected with one of the rolls 51. The motor 90 is of the variable speed type and is adapted to be controlled by a conveyor-drive speed-control device or unit 92, shown schematically in FIGURE 8. By modifying the speed of the conveyor 50 through the variable speed motor 90, the thickness or density of the mat being formed may be regulated and controlled.

In normal operation wherein the several attenuating units 26 are delivering strands and each strand has its full complement of filaments, a mat of substantially uniform thickness and density is continually produced and conveyed away from the mat forming or strand collecting zone by the conveyor 50. In the event that an attenuating unit or station 26 becomes disabled, or by reason of strand breakout, or in the event of partial breakout of some of the filaments in a strand, a mat formed under such conditions will be substandard and have a lesser quantity of filaments than a normal mat.

The present invention embodies a method and arrangement whereby a strand breakout, a disabled attenuating unit, or partial strand breakout is detected automatically by a means responsive to load or phase change characteristics of the electrically energizable motor driving an attenuating unit. Such abnormal conditions sensed by the detector render the detector effective to initiate and activate instrumentalities or components of the control system to de-energize the disabled or impaired attenuating unit, actuate a strand severing means adjacent the disabled attenuating unit, initiate movement of a strand deflecting means and waste chute into an operative position to receive unattenuated material from the feeder and reduce the speed of the conveyor drive motor.

The latter function is especially important in that the speed of the conveyor motor is reduced to an extent to reduce the linear speed of the conveyor whereby the remaining attenuating units in normal operation deliver strands onto the conveyor moving at a reduced speed whereby to produce a mat of strands from the remaining operative units of substantially the same size and of the same characteristics as the mat Which is produced with all attenuating units in normal operation.

Through this arrangement the amount of substandard mat, either mat of increased thickness in a given length or of reduced thickness in a given length depending upon which unit of the plurality of units becomes displaced or impaired and irrespective of the station in the sequence of stations which becomes disabled or impaired, does not exceed the length of the mat or conveyor greater than the distance between the first and last attenuating stations.

The arrangement under control of the sensor or detector for temporarily accumulating the unattenuated glass of the streams from the stream feeder at a disabled or impaired attenuating station or unit is illustrated in FIGURES 3 through 5, and the automatic means for severing the strand at a disabled or impaired attenuating station is illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4, 6 and 7. A strand deflector or waste chute arrangement is disposed adjacent each of the attenuating stations or pull wheel units 26, as shown in FIGURES l and 2.

Extending lengthwise and above the conveyor belt 50 are frame members to which are secured parallel sheet metal walls 102 which extend downwardly and terminate adjacent to but spaced from the movable conveyor or strand collector 50 providing a zone or chamber 104 within which the deposition of strands is confined to the movable conveyor. Secured to a frame member 100 is a sheet metal member or shield 106 having a bottom wall 107 and side walls 108, a shield 106 being provided for each attenuating station or unit.

Slidably or movably disposed adjacent the shield 106 is a trough or waste collecting chute 110 having a portion 112 which, when the trough is in extended or operative position, is disposed beneath the adjacent pull wheel 30, as shown in FIGURE 4. The trough 110 is provided with a shank portion or extension 114 connected with the floor of the trough portion 112 by an angularly disposed surface 116. The trough portion 112 is of substantial depth as illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, providing a receptacle into which unattenuated glass bodies from the streams from the adjacent feeder are delivered when a strand breakout occurs.

When the attenuating unit 30 is again restored to operation, the chute 110 is retracted to the position shown in FIGURE 3 and the accumulated waste glass within the portion 112 removed therefrom by the operator. As shown in FIGURES 1 through 4, the region of the wall 102 adjacent a trough is fashioned with an opening 118 to accommodate the trough or chute.

Means is provided for controlling the positioning and relative movement of the trough 110. As shown in FIG- URES 3 and 5, a motive means is mounted by the portion 107 of the shield 106 for actuating the chute. Secured to the portion 107 of the shield or bracket 106 is a servo-motor 119 including a cylinder 120 in which is reciprocably mounted a piston 121 which may be pneumatically or hydraulically operated.

A control valve 122 mounted by the shield 106 controls the flow of fluid into and out of the cylinder 120. The piston 121 is carried by a rod 124 connected with a reciprocable toothed member or rack 126 which is slidable along supporting ways 123 secured to the portion 107 of the shield 106. Secured to the ways 128 are brackets or members 130 journally supporting a shaft 132. Secured upon the shaft 132 is a pinion or gear 134, the teeth of which are enmeshed with the teeth of the rack 126. Fixedly secured to the end regions of the shaft 132 are arms 136 which are pivotally connected to end portions 114 of the trough 110 by means of pins 138.

Disposed adjacent each attenuating station or unit 26 is a frame member 142. Hinge members 144 are mounted by the frame members 142 and depending fro-m each hinge member is a baffle or deflector 146, particularly shown in FIGURES 3 through 5. Means is provided whereby movement of the trough 110 effects a change in the position of the baffle 146.

Secured to the baffle 146 is a projection or arm 148 to which is pivotally connected a transversely extending portion 149 of a rod 150, the other end of the rod having a transversely extending portion 152 which extends into and is slidable in an elongated slot 154 formed in a side wall of the chute 110, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

When the chute 110 is in an out-of-use position illustrated in FIGURE 3, the bafile 146 is held in an ineffective position to permit the strand to be delivered by the pull wheel onto the conveyor without obstruction. When an attenuating unit is rendered inoperative, or a strand breakout occurs or a number of filaments in a strand are broken, the servo-motor 119, under the infiuence of detector controlled means hereinafter described, causes longitudinal movement of the rack 126 and rotation of the gear 134 and arms 136 to move the trough to the position illustrated in FIGURE 4 to receive unattenuated solidified bodies of glass falling by gravity from the glass streams from the adjacent feeder 110.

When the trough is moved to its operative position, the baffle 146 is moved into effective position by the rod or link 150, as shown in FIGURE 4, to direct the unattenuated bodies from the glass streams into the enlarged region 112 of the trough. During restarting of attenuation by the operator engaging the filaments with the pull wheel 30, portion 112 of the trough collects the waste filaments until the attenuating or pull wheel 30 is brought up to proper speed to attenuate filaments of desired size.

The portion 112 is usually sufficient to contain the waste glass or unattenuated bodies during the period in which the pull wheel 30 is ineffective to attenuate filaments.

Means is also provided, in the event that an attenuating unit is out of service for an extended period, to direct unattenuated linear bodies formed from the streams to a rotatable chopping means in order to cut up or sever the bodies into short lengths. Mounted by a member 158 carried by the shield 106 is a rotatable body severing device 160 which is inclusive of a motor 162 driving cooperating rolls 164 and 165, one of the rolls being provided with severing knives, the other roll being of rubber or resilient material.

When the operator determines that the downtime of an attenuating unit may be prolonged, the operator manually diverts the unattenuated linear bodies between the rotating rolls 164 and 165 to sever or chop the bodies into short lengths disposed of as waste thereby avoiding excessive accumulation of unattenuated material in the trough 112. The control mechanism for initiating operation of the trough 110 is hereinafter described.

The apparatus includes means for automatically severing the strand whenever substandard strand is being produced by a unit. During normal attenuation of a pull wheel 30, the strand 20 engages the idler rolls 44 and 46, mounted upon support means 45, this arrangement being particularly illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7. Mounted upon the support means 45 is a housing or casting 168 containing a rotary solenoid preferably of the Z/ener type.

The rotatable shaft 170 of the solenoid extends exteriorly of the casing and supports a strand severing instrumentality or knife 172. The knife or knife blade 172 is normally in the position shown in FIGURES 3 and 6 in inoperative position. When the knife is actuated to sever the strand by impact, the knife is moved by the rotary solenoid shaft 170 to the position shown in FIG- URES 4 and 7. The actuation of the knife is correlated with the movement of the trough 110 into the position shown in FIGURE 4.

The several electrically actuated or controlled components of the system are schematically illustrated in FIG- URE 8. The motor 42 driving a pull wheel 30 is preferably of the induction type or of similar type which, when the load on the motor provided by the tension in pulling the strand 20 is modified by partial or complete strand breakout, the input decreases and the phase angle changes.

The arrangement of the invention includes a sensing device or detector of a character which is adapted to sense a phase change of the motor 42, the detector circuit being illustrated in FIGURE 9. The signal provided by the detector is amplified by a power amplifier, the detector and power amplifier being schematically illustrated at 180 in FIGURE 8. The output of the power amplifier is fed to a relay and timer system indicated schematically at 184. The power amplifier is supplied with current from lines L1 and L2.

Three phase high frequency current is fed to the relay system from a supply through conductors L3, L4 and L5 for the motor 42. Current is provided from a supply through conductors 194 to the conveyor motor speed control mechanism 92.

The speed control mechanism is connected with the relay mechanism 184 and with the conveyor drive motor 99. The motor 42 driving the pull wheel is connected with the relay system 184. The relay system is connected with the rotary solenoid for actuating the knife 172 by conductors 208 and with the control valve 122 for the trough actuating servo-motor 119 by conductors 210.

Each attenuating unit is provided with a detector control system independent of the control system for the other units. Thus if there are ten attenuating units, there are ten control systems of the character illustrated in FIGURE 8 with the exception that one conveyor speed control mechanism is intercalated with all of the control systems for the several attenuating units. The sensing means or detector for sensing an abnormality or change of load and hence a phase change of a motor of a pull wheel unit is illustrated in FIGURE 9.

The motor 42 may be of the induction type or of any type wherein the phase changes with variations in load. One of the important characteristics of the sensing arrangement, shown in FIGURE 8, resides in establishing differential voltage under varying motor load which, when amplified, provides means adaptable for actuating relays and timers and switch mechanisms indicated at 184 in FIGURE 8 for actuating or controlling the components, shown schematically in FIGURE 8.

Variations in load on an attenuating motor occur because of breakouts, or disability or partial disability of an attenuating unit to deliver its full complement of strand onto the conveyor.

With particular reference to FIGURE 9, one phase or coil 215 of the three-phase motor 42 is connected with a primary coil 217 of a current transformer T1 and with the line L3 as in FIGURE 9. Also connected in parallel with the coil 215 and the current coil 217 is the primary of a voltage transformer T2. For reference, the voltage across the phase 215 is sensed with the transformer T2.

The secondary of transformer T1 comprises two coil sections e1, the common connection between the coils being connected to one end of secondary c2 of the voltage transformer T2.

The leads 219 and 220 from the ends of the combined coils e1 are respectively connected with silicon diodes designated X1 and X2, each rectifying a half wave from the transformer T1. The rectifier current is fed by conductors 222 and 223 to a power amplifier 225 for amplifying the signal sensed through phase change when the load on the motor 42 is reduced. The power amplifier 225 is of conventional construction and conveys amplified actuating signals to relays and timer mechanisms schematically indicated at 184 in FIGURE 8 for actuating various components of the system in proper sequence.

A resistor R1 across the secondary e1 governs the output voltage of the transformer T1 and accordingly controls the sensitivity of the unit. Also connected with the lead 222 is a capacitor C1 and a resistor R2, and connected with the lead 223 is a second capacitor C2 and a second resistor R3. The end of coil 22 of the transformer T2 is connected by lead 226 with a common connection between capacitors C1 and C2 and a common connection between resistors R2 and R3. The resistorcapacitor arrangement provides for transient filtering and minimizes rippling. The transformer ratios and the value of resistor R1, the voltages from the transformer T1 and transformer T2 are predetermined such that 22 is greater than 21 under normal operating conditions of the pull wheel with which the detector system is connected.

The resistor-capacitor components R2C1 and R3C2 are selected whereby the capacitors C1 and C2 charge to essentially the peak value for the half wave rectified voltages through the rectifiers X1 and X2. Any decrease of current or increase of phase angle which accompanies a load change on a motor 42 will cause the output to increase toward zero. Over the range of operation of the motors driving the pull wheels 30, the detector and output correlates accurately with motor power.

Thus the detector circuit of FIGURE 9 provides a sensing signal which, when amplified by the power amplifier 225, provides an amplified voltage effective to operate relays and timer mechanisms schematically indicated at 184 in FIGURE 8 for actuating the various components in sequence when a motor load decreases and for operating the components in reverse sequence When a pull wheel or attenuating unit i restored to normal operation.

The device is sensitive to an extent that a breakout of only a few filaments of a strand provides an amplified signal sufficient to actuate the relays and control components associated with the station delivering substandard strand including reducing the conveyor speed to an extent that the remaining operative units form a fibrous pack or mat of standard or normal characteristics. Under normal operation the several attenuating units 26, that is, all of the pull wheel units of the installation are operating to deliver standard strands each having a predetermined number of filaments, onto the conveyor 50.

During normal operation the continuous strands are discharged from the pull wheels 30 by the rotatable oscillating spoke wheels 58 to distribute the strand transversely of the conveyor to form a pack or mat of continuous fibers or filaments of a desired thickness and density. During normal attenuating and mat forming operations, the troughs 110 are retracted whereby the portions 112 are removed from the paths of traverse of the continuous strands 20 delivered from the pull wheels.

The baffles 146 as shown in FIGURE 3 are in an out-ofuse position and the rotatable strand severing blades 172 are maintained out of the paths of the strands. The conveyor belt 50 is rotated by the drive motor 90 at a speed determined by the number of attenuating units in operation.

A cycle of operations or actions occurring as a result of a breakout of a strand or a breakout of several filaments of a strand or failure of an attenuating unit is as follows: The load provided by tension in the strand on the attenuating or pull wheel 30 is reduced when several filaments of the strand are broken or by breakout of the strand. Any reduction in load on the motor reduces current input and effects a phase change or shift affecting the detector shown in FIGURE 9. Thus, under reduced load a phase change occurs and the current in the coil 217 is reduced while the voltage in the primary of transformer T2 remains constant.

The voltage output of the secondary coil sections e1 of the transformer T1 is reduced and the voltage of one coil section e1 opposes the voltage of coil e2 of the transformer T2 which effects an unbalance or differential voltage across the leads 222 and 223 connected with the power amplifier 225. This signal transmitted to the power amplifier 225 is amplified and the output delivered to relay and timing mechanisms designated 184 in FIGURE 8. The relay function of the detector is performed through a direct coupled transistor buffer driving a silicon controlled rectifier of conventional construction (not shown).

The amplified detector signal from the power amplifier initiates an electric energy flow to the motor 42 effective to brake or plug the motor 42 to bring it and the pull wheel rapidly to rest. concomitantly with this action, the rotary solenoid in the housing 168 is actuated through the relay mechanism to rotate the knife 172 to sever the strand from the pull wheell At the same time the valve mechanism 122, illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 8, is actuated from the relay system 184 to direct fluid flow into the cylinder 120 of the servo-motor 119 to effect longitudinal movement of the rod 124 and rack 126, shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4.

The rotation of the shaft 132 by the rack 126 effects rotation of the link 136 and projects the trough 110 to operative or strand receiving position beneath the pull wheel, as shown in FIGURE 4, the baffle 146 being simultaneously moved to the position shown in FIGURE 4. In this position of the trough 110, the portion 112 collects unattenuated linear bodies of glass falling by gravity from the streams adjacent the feeder preventing delivery of such bodies into the mat.

At the same time the amplified signal through relay mechanism 184 actuates the conveyor speed control mechanism 92 to reduce the speed of the motor and hence the movement of the conveyor 50, a proportionate amount as compared with the normal operation of all of the units.

The conveyor speed control means 92 is preferably of conventional type embodying a number of stepped resistors equal to the total number of attenuating units whereby the failure of strand from an attenuating unit is effective through one of the resistors to reduce the speed of the conveyor whereby the remaining operating units deliver, in a given length of conveyor, the same amount of strand as delivered by all of the units when in normal operation.

Thus the amount of substandard mat produced by reduction in speed of the conveyor is comparatively short as the remaining units immediately initiate delivery of strand at the reduced conveyor speed to provide a mat of normal size and density. If more than one strand becomes substandard or broken, the reduced loads on the motors of such attenuating units affected thereby effect current reduction and phase shift detected by detectors of the character illustrated in FIGURE 9, and additional signal or signals conveyed to the conveyor speed control 92 to further proportionately reduce the speed of the conveyor 50 through stepped resistors of the conveyor speed control mechanism.

The individual detectors sensing the ineffective units actuate the strand severing blades 172 and the troughs adjacent such units. The proportionate additional reduction in the conveyor 50 is such that the remaining operative attenuating units deliver strand onto the conveyor moving at such a reduced speed that a mat of substantially normal size and density is produced as soon as the substandard mat beneath the several attenuating units passes out of the region thereof.

In restarting a unit which had been rendered ineffective to deliver strand, the operator initiates rotation of the motor 42 by a manually operated push button (not shown) in a motor starting circuit. During initial rotation of the pull wheel 30, the operator engages the strand of filaments from the feeder with the peripheral surface of the wheel to initiate attenuation. During this period the relay and timer system 184 includes a time delay relay which is effective to delay actuation of the valve 122 to retract the chute 110 until the speed of the pull wheel 30 reaches normal attenuating rate.

A time delay relay also delays operation of the conveyor speed control 92 to increase the conveyor speed until the pull wheel 30 is brought up to attenuating speed. When the pull wheel 30 has reached its normal speed, the time delay relays time out to retract the chute 110, and activate the conveyor speed control to increase the conveyor speed to its normal rate, and the breakout detector 180 re-activated, these actions being automatic functions of the relay and timer system 184. During the initial rotation of the pull wheel in the start-up of attenuation the operator may, if desired, feed the strand into the strand chopping device 160 which severs the waste strand into short lengths for ease of disposal.

The motor 162 driving the strand severing means is actuated by a manually operable switch (not shown). As a protection for the detector system during the startup period of the pull wheel drive motor 42, the relay and timer system 184 incorporates a conventional type of relay arranged to normally short the detector input, such relay being opened automatically when the drive motor 42 and the pull wheel have been brought up to normal speed under normal strand tension in attenuating the streams to filaments.

Thus, an automatic arrangement is provided for de tecting strand breakouts or partial breakouts of a number of filaments in a strand, the delivery of subnormal strand into the mat instantly interrupted, the speed of the conveyor proportionately reduced to compensate for the loss of strand. On restarting the ineffective unit or units, the re-establishment of optimum conditions takes place automatically and, when all of the units are again effective to deliver their respective complements of strand into the mat, the conveyor speed is restored to normal to continue the formation of a mat having substantial uniform characteristics with a minimum of loss of substandard mat.

The invention is inclusive of an arrangement associated with the speed of the conveyor for modifying the speed of the strand distributing means or oscillator for distributing the strand transversely or laterally of the collector or conveyor 50.

As has been previously described in reference to FIG- URE 2, the spoked wheels 58 are oscillated by means connected with the reciprocatory rods 72 to discharge the strands from the pull wheels in a transverse sweeping motion during collection of the strands on the conveyor, the conveyor being driven through speed reducing gearing 88 by motor 90, the speed of the latter being controlled by the sensing device or detector as hereinbefore described.

In order to simulate the normal pattern of distribution of the strands on the conveyor, it is desirable, when one or more attenuating units are temporarily out-of-service, to reduce the speed of reciprocation of the rods 72, shown in FIGURE 2, in order to reduce the rate of movement of the oscillators or strand discharging means 58. An arrangement for accomplishing this purpose is illustrated in FIGURE and embraces a control means for a motor for driving the strand oscillators effective to reduce the speed of the oscillators whenever the conveyor 50 is rereduced in speed by the attenuating unit sensing means slowing the motor 90 upon failure of a unit 26 to deliver its full complement of material onto the conveyor.

The control arrangement for the strand oscillating devices includes a motor 230 equipped with speed reducing gearing 232, the output shaft 234 being arranged to oscillate a shaft 236.

Mounted on the shaft 236 are arms 238 to which the strand oscillator operating rods 72 (shown in FIGURE 2) are pivotally connected. Any suitable power transmitting means may be employed for oscillating the shaft 236 and in the arrangement shown in FIGURE 10, an arm 240 is fixed on the shaft 234 and a rod or link 242 pivotally connects the arm 240 with an arm 244, the latter being fixedly mounted on the shaft 236.

The speed reducing mechanism 232 is of a ratio to ro tale the shaft 234 at a comparatively low speed so as to drive the oscillators 58 at a low speed. The arrangement for correlating the speed of the motor 230 with that of the conveyor 50 and motor includes a means 248 for adjusting the output speed ratio of the output shaft 250. The input shaft 252 of the drive ratio adjusting means 248 is preferably driven from the output shaft 254 of the speed reducing mechanism 88 of the conveyor drive by a driving chain 256 connected with sprockets 257 and 258 fixedly secured on the shafts 254 and 252 respectively.

The output shaft 250 drives a Selsyn transmitter 260 which is electrically connected with a Selsyn receiver 262. A sprocket on the output shaft 263 of the Selsyn transmitter is connected by a driving chain 264 with a sprocket mounted on the oscillator driving shaft 234 whereby the rotor of the Selsyn receiver 262 is rotated with the shaft 234. The Selsyn transmitter 260 is connected with a position control or comparator 266 which is connected with the Selsyn receiver 262.

The position control 266 is connected with a power supply 268, and the power supply 268 connected with the oscillator drive motor 230. The power supply 268 is supplied with three-phase current and is of a character to deliver DC current to the motor 230, the latter being of the variable speed type.

Under normal operation of all of the attenuating units, the strand oscillators are actuated by the motor 230 operating at a predetermined constant speed through the speed reducing mechanism 232. The speed may be initially adjusted by the drive ratio adjusting means 248. Under normal operation the speeds of the rotors of the Selsyn transmitter 260 and the receiver 262 are synchronized and, under such operating conditions, no signal or voltage will be transmitted to the position control 266. In the event that the sensing detector hereinbefore described is actuated by failure of an attenuating unit to deliver its full complement of material to the conveyor, the motor 90 driving the conveyor 50 is proportionately reduced in speed. This reduction in speed of the motor 90 and conveyor influences the Selsyn transmitter 260 and is effective to reduce the rotor speed of the transmitter. This change in the speed of the rotor of the transmitter 260 transmits a signal or voltage to the position control 266 which signal is transmitted to the power supply unit 268 and is effective through the provision of means in the power supply unit for proportionately reducing the speed of the oscillator drive motor 230.

As the rotor of the Selsyn receiver 262 is driven from the oscillator driving shaft 234, the receiver 262 is effective through its connection with the position control 266 to establish a stabilized condition. When the speed of the rotor of the Selsyn receiver 262 is synchronized with the rotor of the Selsyn transmitter 260, no voltage or signal is transmitted from the transmitter to the position control 266 and no further reduction in speed of the oscillator drive motor 230 takes place. In this manner, the speed of the oscillator drive motor 236 is reduced proportionately as the speed of the motor 90 is reduced so as to modify the rate of distribution of strands from the attenuating units through the reduction in rate of movement of the oscillators 58. Thus any variation in speed of the conveyor actuating motor 90 is effective through the Selsyn transmitter 260 to transmit a signal to the position control 266 and through the power supply 268 to modify the speed of the oscillator drive motor 230 until the rotors of the Selsyn units 260 and 262 are again synchronized.

Through the arrangement shown in FIGURE 10 any change in speed of the conveyor proportionately changes the rate of movement of the strand oscillators or distributing means to thereby simulate the pattern of strand distribution provided when all of the attenuating units are in operation.

When all of the attenuating units are again operative to deliver their respective complements of strand onto the conveyor, the conveyor speed is automatically restored to 13 normal and the rate of movement of strand distributors restored to normal.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modifications and different arrangements may be made other than as herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

We claim:

1. The method of continuously forming and assembling fibers of heat-softened mineral material into a composite mass including the steps of forming fibers of the material from supplies at a plurality of fiber forming and delivering stations, continuously delivering a group of fibers from each of the stations to a collecting zone where the fibers are collected into an assemblage, continuously moving the assemblage of fibers away from the collecting zone, detecting by a detector impairment of a fiber forming and delivering station to deliver its complement of fibers to the collecting zone, obstructing delivery of fibers from the impaired station to the assemblage, and modifying the rate of movement in response to the detector of the assemblage of fibers away from the collecting region to maintain the assemblage of fibers from the remaining operative stations substantially the same as the assemblage of fibers collected under normal operations from all of the stations.

2. The method of continuously assembling mineral fibers into a group including delivering fibers from a plurality of fiber delivering stations to a collecting zone, continuously moving the group of collected fibers away from said zone, detecting by a detector an impairment of a station to deliver its complement of fibers to the collecting zone, rendering the impaired station inefiective by a detection signal produce dby the impairment, and reducing the rate of movement of the continuously forming group of fibers in response to the detection signal away from the collecting region to an extent whereby the fibers delivered from the remaining operative stations provide a group of fibers substantially equal to the group of fibers delivered under normal operations of all of the stations.

3. The method of controlling the delivery of mineral fibers by a plurality of material-delivering electrically-driven instrumentalities to a collecting zone, continuously collecting and conveying collected fibers by a collector away from the collecting zone, detecting by an electric detector a decrease in power input of an instrumentality upon its failure to deliver a normal complement of fibers to the collecting zone, rendering the defective instrumentality ineffective through the detector to deliver fibers to the collecting zone, and modifying the speed of the collector through the detector to a rate at which the fibers delivered from the remaining stations onto a given length of the collector is substantially equal to the amount of fibers provided by all of the stations under normal operation on an equal length of the collector.

4. The method of controlling the delivery of a strand of continuous filaments attenuated from heat-softened mineral material including feeding a group of streams of the mineral material, engaging a strand of the filaments with a surface normally rotated at a substantially constant speed by an electrically energizable motor to attenuate the streams to filaments, sensing by a detector sensing circuit a phase change of the motor influenced by a decrease in power input upon change in load on the motor by change in voltage in the sensing circuit, amplifying the signal produced by the sensing circuit, and feeding the amplified signal to a relay activated by the signal to deenergize the motor.

5. The method of controlling the delivery of attenuated mineral fibers by a fiber attenuating instrumentality to a collecting zone including rotating the attenuating instrumentality at a substantially constant speed, detecting by an elecric detector a decrease in power input to the instrumentality upon reduction in the amount of fibers normally delivered by the instrumentality, and deactivating the instrumentality by the detector under the influence of the decreased power input.

6. The method of controlling delivery of mineral fibers by a plurality of fiber delivering stations to a collecting zone including continuously collecting and conveying collected fibers by a moving collector away from the collecting zone, detecting by a detector failure of a station to deliver its complement of fibers to the collecting zone, rendering the impaired station ineffective by the detector to deilver fibers to the collecting zone, and modifying the speed of the collector in response to the detector to a rate at which the fibers delivered from the remaining stations is substantially equal to the amount of fibers in a given length of the collector as is delivered by all of the stations under normal operation.

7. The method of continuously assembling attenuated fibers of heatsoftened mineral material into a composite product including delivering fibers from a plurality of fiber attenuating stations to a collecting zone, continuously moving the assemblage of attenuated fibers away from said zone on a moving surface, sensing by a detector failure of a fiber delivering station to deliver its complement of attenuated fibers onto the moving surface, rendering the impaired station ineffective in response to the detector to deliver attenuated fibers, reducing the rate of movement of the moving surface in response to the detector away from the collecting region at a rate to maintain the aggregate of attenuated fibers delivered from the remaining operative stations onto a given length of the moving surface subsantially equal to the aggregate of attenuated fibers delivered under normal operations of all of the stations in a like length of the moving surface and thereby maintain substantially uniform the quantity of attenuated fibers in the composite product, and accumulating unattenuated mineral material adjacent the impaired station at a zone spaced from the moving surface during the period that the impaired station is ineffective to deliver attenuated fibers onto the moving surface.

8. The method of continuously forming filaments of heat-softened mineral material and assembling strands of the filaments including attenuating groups of streams of the material to filaments and the groups of filaments converged into strands by a plurality of attenuating stations, continuously delivering strand from each of the stations to a collecting zone where the strands are collected into a mass, continuously moving the collected mass away from the collecting zone, detecting by a detector failure of delivery of normal strand from an attenuating station, impeding delivery in response to the detector of abnormal strand or unattenuated material to the mass, and modifying the rate of movement in response to the detector of the collected mass of srand away from the collecting region to maintain the quantity of strands being deiivered from the remaining operative stations in a given linear dimension of the mass substantially equal to the quantity of strands delivered under normal operations of all of the stations in a like linear dimension and thereby maintain substantially uniform the quantity of strands in the mass.

9. The method of continuously assembling mineral fibers including delivering fibers from a plurality of fiber delivering stations to a linearly moving collector, distributing the fibers on the collector at the collecting zone, continuously moving the collector and assemblage of fibers away from said zone, sensing by a detector impairment of a fiber delivering station to properly deliver fibers to the collecting zone, rendering the impaired fiber delivery station ineffective in response to the detector to deliver fibers, reducing the rate of movement of the collector in response to the detector, and modifying the distribution in response to the detector of the fibers from the remaining operative stations.

10. The method of controlling delivery and distribution of mineral fibers by a plurality of fiber processing stations, continuously delivering fibers from the stations to a moving collector, distributing the fibers on the collector during delivery, moving the collected fibers by the collector away from the collecting zone, sensing by a detector failure of a station to deliver its normal amount of fibers to the collecting zone, rendering the defective station ineffective in response to the detector to deliver fibers to the collecting Zone, varying the speed of the collector in response to the detector to a rate at which the fibers delivered from the remaining stations per unit of length of the collector is substantially equal to the amount of fibers in the same unit length provided by all of the stations under normal operation, and modifying the distribution of the fibers in response to the detcetor delivered from the remaining stations.

11. The method of continuously forming filaments of heat-softened mineral material and assembling strands of the filaments including attenuating groups of streams of the material to filaments and the groups of filaments converged into strands by a plurality of attenuating stations, continuously delivering strand from each of the stations to a collecting conveyor, distributing the strands over an area of the conveyor, continuously moving the conveyor and collected strand away from the collecting zone, sensing by a detector failure of delivery of normal strand from an attenuating station, impeding delivery of strand in response to the detector from the impaired station, modifying the rate of movement of the conveyor and collected strands in response to the detector away from the collecting region whereby the quantity of strands being delivered from the remaining operative stations in a given linear dimension of the conveyor substantially equals the quantity of strands delivered under normal operations of all of the stations in a like linear dimension, and modifying the distribution of the strands in response to the detector delivered from the remaining operative stations.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,540,146 2/1951 Stoher 2644O 2,998,051 8/1951 Sittel 264-24 FOREIGN PATENTS 932,482 7/ 1963 Great Britain.

DONALD J. ARNOLD, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

